The present invention relates to a semi-automatic gas-operated shotgun.
It is known that a shotgun of the type in question comprises a receiver for housing and supporting the firing mechanisms of the gun, a breech block guided for movement from a position in which a respective cartridge chamber is closed to a position in which the cartridge chamber is open, and a lifting device for transporting cartridges from a cartridge magazine to the cartridge chamber, the lifting device being constituted essentially by a lever articulated to opposed walls of the receiver and having a longer, substantially elongate-spoon-shaped portion extending towards the cartridge magazine and a shorter portion known as a lug extending towards the interior of the receiver.
As for all firearms of the aforesaid type, it is known for the shotgun considered herein to have a safety device or, more simply: a safety catch, generally constituted by a button-like element extending through the receiver, supported for sliding by the opposed walls thereof, and accessible from outside the walls in order to be moved manually from an engaged position in which it interferes positively with the firing mechanisms, preventing their operation, to a released position in which the firing mechanisms can be operated freely.
In particular, the present invention relates to a safety device having improved structural and functional characteristics for a semi-automatic shotgun.
With reference to shotguns of the aforesaid type, it is known that there is a need to be able to gain access to the cartridge chamber in order to change the cartridge loaded therein for another of a different type.
For this purpose, it is necessary to move the breech-block slide and then to restrain it in the open position in which it is normally restrained only when all of the cartridges have been fired.
At the moment, in order to change the cartridge, the user has to retract the breech block with one hand, and to hold the breech block in the open position with the other hand with which he is supporting the gun, and the cartridge, which is expelled automatically from the cartridge chamber by the action of the ejector, may fly out. Still holding the breech block in the open position manually, the user then has to insert the new cartridge and finally close the cartridge chamber by releasing the breech block.
It is clear and is recognized that, although this procedure has the advantage of quick cartridge-changing, which is much appreciated during shooting, on the other hand it still requires experience and a high degree of manual dexterity and, in spite of all this, still involves a high risk.
The technical problem which the present invention proposes to solve is to overcome this disadvantage.